PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Foundation Degree (Working with Children: Education and Well-Being)
_________________________________________________________________________
Awarding institution:
University College London
Teaching institution:
UCL Institute of Education, University College London
Name of award:
Foundation Degree / Foundation Certificate
Programme title:
Working with Children: Education and Well-Being
1. Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the medium of the English
language. Competence in the English language is required of all applicants. Programme
regulations may indicate the level of competence required of each applicant and may make its
achievement a condition of admission.
2. Participants
The Foundation Degree in Working with Children: Education and Well-Being provides an
opportunity for practitioners working with children to use and develop their experience to gain a
higher education qualification.
After the introduction of the “Every Child Matters” policy in 2003, employers have been working to
increase the qualification profile of staff working with children. About half of children’s sector
workers nationally are working at qualification levels commensurate with A-Levels (NQF Level 3).
There is policy and sector demand for higher level, more academic (rather than competency-led)
qualifications which are more cohesive and which apply across a range of occupations. Teaching
assistants working in primary schools and those working with children in early childhood care and
education, youth work settings and residential and foster care constitute key groups of workers
being targeted to develop their professional understanding by undertaking recognised
educational qualifications, such as Foundation Degrees.
3. Educational aims of the Programme
Foundation Degrees are designed to ensure critical understanding of concepts and principles in
an area of study that will enhance skills relevant to employment.
The specific aims of this course are to:


acknowledge and develop participants’ existing knowledge and experience;
develop participants’ skills in identifying and analysing links between experience, practice,
theory and research;
1




develop participants’ understanding of: the idea of child development; the idea of childhood;
the education and well-being of families with additional needs; learning and literacy; ‘the
family’ and upbringing; children’s services; children’s rights; diversity; the welfare state;
creative development and reflective practice.
develop participants’ academic literacy and ability to learn confidently and independently;
practise and develop skills in critical analysis, argument and reflection in relation to both
theory and practice; and
provide opportunities for participants to reflect critically on their own practice in working with
children throughout the programme.
4. Learning outcomes
By the end of the Programme, students will be able to:




draw on an academic framework to reflect on, and extend their existing understandings and
experience;
engage with concepts, theories and research that is relevance to working with children in a
variety of settings;
understand a range of issues pertaining to childhood, schooling, identity, social contexts and
educational practice;
have the necessarily academic skills and literacies to produce the required assessments.
5. Criteria for admission
Students will normally be required to have an NQF Level 3 qualification (A-Levels or equivalent)
and at least two years’ experience of working with children. At the time of registering, students
will need to be in concurrent employment in a relevant occupation, such as a teaching assistant,
children’s centre worker, residential care worker, foster carer, childminder or youth worker.
In addition, all students will need confirmation that their employer or manager supports
attendance at UCL Institute of Education for taught sessions and access to resources to enable
them to complete the work-based study tasks.
Applicants whose language is a language other than English may be required to provide
evidence of their English language proficiency.
The UCL Institute of Education is committed to admitting and supporting participants with
disabilities and welcomes applications from them. Participants do not need to be “registered
disabled” to draw on these services, although in order to provide services in the long-term, we will
need to ask for medical or other evidence, as appropriate. UCL’s Student Disability Services can
also support people who have a temporary mobility or dexterity impairment or other difficulty as a
result of an accident, injury, illness or surgery. We aim to treat every person as an individual, with
needs which may differ from those of other people with a superficially similar disability. We do not
therefore have standard procedures for participants with dyslexia, nor do we have standard
procedures for visually impaired participants. Each person’s needs are considered individually.
6. Mode of study
2
Two years full-time. As this is a work-based qualification, usually four days a week (or, at least 16
hours per week) are spent in the workplace and one day at UCL Institute of Education.
7. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
Figure 1: The structure of the Programme
First year
Understanding professional and academic texts
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
The growing child: aspects of child development
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Bringing up children:
parents, care workers and the state
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
The development of literacy
Optional module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
The history of the welfare state
Optional module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Promoting the education and well-being of children and families with additional needs
Core module (10 weeks – 40 credits)
Second year
Integrated children’s services
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Children’s and young people’s
participation and rights
Optional module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Effective learning in diversity
Optional module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Childhood studies
Core module (10 weeks – 40 credits)
Creative development
through art, craft and design
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
Critically reflecting on personal and professional practice
Core module (5 weeks – 20 credits)
3
Figure 2 sets out the credit values and levels of the core and specialist modules on the
Foundation Degree Programme.
Figure 2
Core modules
Credit value
Understanding professional and academic texts
The growing child: aspects of child development
Promoting the education and well-being of children and
families with additional needs
Critically reflecting on personal and professional practice
Integrated children’s services
Childhood studies
Creative development through art, craft and design
Bringing up children: parents, care workers and the state
20 / Certificate level
20 / Certificate level
Optional modules
Credit level
The history of the welfare state
The development of literacy
Effective learning in diversity
Children’s and young people’s participation and rights
20 / Certificate level
20 / Certificate level
20 / Intermediate level
20 / Intermediate level
40 / Certificate level
20 / Intermediate level
20 / Intermediate level
40 / Intermediate level
20 / Intermediate level
20 / Certificate level
We endeavour to run all of the above modules; however, this list can be subject to change
The Foundation Degree at UCL Institute of Education is a two-year, full-time programme leading
to the award of a Foundation Degree. It will attract 240 CATS. Those students who successfully
complete 120 credits at Certificate Level and who choose not to continue will be awarded the
Foundation Certificate.
8. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
Teaching and learning



We use a variety of approaches including lectures, other kinds of tutor input, group work and
discussion and student presentations.
The first module is designed to introduce students to studying at this level and equip them
with some of the skills needed for later modules.
For many of the modules there is often direct input to the whole group of students, which is
then followed by work in smaller groups with close tutor support to extend and embed the
learning.
4
Work-based study
The specific objectives of the work-based study element of each module will depend on the
specific objectives of the module, but across the degree, these will incorporate:






Observation of practice to help students to contextualise, analyse and evaluate ideas
discussed during the lectures/seminars and in set readings.
The interpretation of observations made in the workplace and how these relate to ideas
discussed during lectures/seminars and in set readings.
Practice in applying knowledge and ideas discussed during lectures/seminars and in set
readings.
Reflection on individual professional and academic practice.
Collection of evidence including children’s work, policy documents and learning materials.
Analysis of evidence collected.
Some modules may place more emphasis on “experiential practice” while others stress
“observation” and “interpretation” or the “collection of evidence” or “theory”. All work-based study
tasks will aim to develop skills in “reflection on individual professional and academic practice,”
and all will have clear links to concepts introduced in the module sessions and set readings. The
Programme Leader and Programme Year Lead will monitor the work-based study tasks across
modules to ensure a balance is maintained between these different objectives within the work
set.
Assessment
The aim of the Programme is to provide a range of methods of assessment while ensuring
enough consistency to allow students to develop key academic literacy skills. To do this, we will:



encourage the inclusion of relevant and imaginative forms of assessment;
ensure a consistent coverage of more “traditional” modes of academic writing to enable
progression; and
embed staff reflection on modes of assessment through Programme Team meetings, module
evaluations, standardisation meetings and staff development sessions.
Incorporation of ICT
We recognise the centrality of ICT in the development of transferable skills and will continue to
develop these aspects of the programme. Approaches currently being used / developed are:



a basic requirement for word processing and library research;
Presentation skills
the use of a virtual learning environment website (Moodle) on all modules, and participants
and tutors are encouraged to explore this technology further.
5
9. Information about assessment regulations
Assessment for each module of the Programme is by successful completion of assignments
which will include both an essay and work-based study tasks. There is an expectation of 100%
attendance and a required minimum of 70%. Students who have missed 20% of a given module
are required to attend an interview with the Year Lead.
Formative feedback on essays and tasks is built into the modules. All work submitted for
assessment is double-marked for quality assurance.
Students are required to pass all of the modules which they take (see above for details).
All assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to discuss and
reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments are graded from A to D, with
D being a fail grade. Participants are permitted to re-present a failed assignment on one further
occasion, within twelve months of the original submission.
An external examiner is appointed by the Faculty and plays an important role in monitoring the
quality of the Programme and evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and support provided
for the programme participants and the reliability of the judgements made in assessing them.
10. Support for learning – reading and academic literacy
To support students’ development of reading and academic literacy skills, the Programme will
pursue a coherent and consistent approach across modules. This approach will be developed
through a range of activities:





an initial module to introduce students to some of the conventions of reading academic texts
and writing academically;
set readings for each module session, available to download from Moodle;
structured assignment briefs to support students’ planning and writing of tasks and essays;
tutorial support within each module to support all aspects of academic literacy;
a range of relevant documents to enhance consistency of support throughout the
programme, such as a tutor handbook and a guide to referencing.
Students are encouraged to sign up with the Academic Writing Centre for continued support
throughout the Programme.
The Foundation Degree has a Year Lead, who acts as personal tutor in a pastoral sense, advises
students on how to access additional support, and is in contact with students causing concern.
11. Methods for evaluating and improving the Programme
Feedback is offered by the external examiner both at the meeting of the Board of Examiners and
via a written report.
Plans for improvement are drawn up as part of the annual Programme Review process and the
associated action plan.
6
12. Indicators of quality and standards
Module feedback forms indicate increased confidence and understanding of issues related to
practice.
Many students progress on to the Bachelor of Education undergraduate degree, often with the
intention of becoming qualified teachers.
13. Relevant benchmark statements and other external and internal reference points used
to inform Programme outcomes
The Programme adheres fully to the Quality Assurance Agency Foundation Degree benchmark
standards. For further details, go to:
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationandguidance/pages/foundation-degree-qualificationbenchmark-may-2010.aspx (Last accessed: 23rd August 2012.)
The Programme contributes to widening participation and lifelong learning by encouraging
participation by learners who may not previously have considered studying for a higher level
qualification. Academic knowledge and understanding is integrated with the development and
support of vocational skills and competencies. The Foundation Degree has the defining
characteristics of employer involvement, accessibility, articulation and progression, flexibility,
partnership, and the development of knowledge, skills and understanding.
The Foundation Degree is located within the Intermediate level of the Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications.
Date of completion: July 2010 (Revised and re-issued: August 2011, August 2012, July 2014,
September 2015)
7